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New target for 'Occupy Wall Street' critics: Media

Rush Limbaugh and Andrew Breitbart have both criticized the Occupy Wall St. media coverage. |
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He was referring to an Oct. 14 panel discussion about Occupy Wall Street at Bluestockings bookstore organized by Jacobin magazine at which Lennard spoke about the tendency of self-censorship she had noticed at the protests.

“So there is a silencing that’s sort of gone on without much addressing, because to address it would be to out oneself. So if you’re talking — and this also addresses the question of escalation; it’s like — yes, there are a lot of people talking about many different ideas. Do they all want all of those ideas live-streamed to the entire world on the assumption that everything is permitted and legal, when it quite clearly isn’t?” she said

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Stranahan argued that these and other statements are evidence that she is “not merely covering the protests but is apparently also taking part in and executing them.”

Lennard rejected the notion that she was aligned with the movement, writing in an email to POLITICO that “when I say ‘we’ I mean those watching what’s going on and commenting on what seems effective, problematic, interesting (the point of the debate).”

The Times reviewed the video, as well as her previous reporting and saw nothing amiss in what she’d filed — but said it wasn’t planning to put her on the beat again.

“This freelancer, Natasha Lennard, has not been involved in our coverage of Occupy Wall Street in recent days, and we have no plans to use her for future coverage,” said Times spokeswoman Eileen Murphy in a statement. “We have reviewed the past stories to which she contributed and have not found any reasons for concern over that reporting.”

She added that, “All our journalists, staff or freelance, are expected to adhere to our ethical rules and journalistic standards and to avoid doing anything that could call into question the impartiality of their work for the Times.”

The question of a news organization’s ethical standards also featured prominently in the dust-up over Lisa Simeone, the host of two public radio arts shows, who was fired from one and had the other dropped by NPR after Roll Call revealed — and the Daily Caller amplified — that she was working as a spokeswoman for October 2011, one of the Occupy D.C. organizations assembled at Freedom Plaza, a block from the White House.

Readers' Comments (1083)

"So far both the Times and NPR have had to distance themselves from freelancers accused of getting too close to the protests, while MSNBC’s Dylan Ratigan has come under scrutiny for leaked emails purportedly showing that he had helped the protesters shape their message."

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OH PULEEZE! Are we still trying to play this silly game that MSNBC is anything other than a Left Wing Politburo propaganda extension of the "Progressive" (read Socialist) wing of the Democrat party?

Give it a break already. You guys just make yourselves look worse and even more dishonest trying to pretend you don't know what the whole world is keenly aware of. And Politico has a very cozy relationship with MSNBC.

As far as the NYT - even Liberals long ago gave up trying to claim it's not Left Wing biased.

Let's put it another way - why has the media been under attack for DECADES due to Left Wing bias and fronting propaganda and propaganda techniques for the Democrat party?

There is only one reason why. Things don't just happen for no reason. Puleeze.

So - the writer of this article sees nothing wrong with all those leftist "reporters" joining the protests, getting arrested with them, helping them shape their "message" and promoting them in the partisan press, but Breitbart is a "provocateur" for reporting what they're doing.

It appears to me that this article certainly makes Breitbart's case for him,

At least Politico get's credit for reporting on this. As bias as they are to the Democrats, at least they bust out the MSM even though this is mostly an attempt to cover for them.

“So there is a silencing that’s sort of gone on without much addressing, because to address it would be to out oneself. So if you’re talking–and this also addresses the question of escalation; it’s like–yes, there are a lot of people talking about many different ideas. Do they all want all of those ideas live streamed to the entire world on the assumption that everything is permitted and legal, when it quite clearly isn’t?” she said

Stranahan argued that these and other statements are evidence that she is “not merely covering the protests, but is apparently also taking part in and executing them.”

The comments from the MSM & NYT's smacks of hand-wringing, worry and fear that they are justifiably finally getting outed for like never before by Alternative Media.

All the fake “objectiveness” and years of nod, wink, snark and subtle and not so subtle Left Wing MSM political activism is being watched like a hawk. "The Whole World is Watching".

The "Journalism" schools are nothing but Marxist Revolutionary Training Camps.

The Times reviewed the video, as w

ell as her previous reporting, and saw nothing amiss in what she’d filed – but said it wasn’t planning to put her on the beat again.

“This freelancer, Natasha Lennard, has not been involved in our coverage of Occupy Wall Street in recent days, and we have no plans to use her for future coverage,” said Times spokeswoman Eileen Murphy in a statement. “We have reviewed the past stories to which she contributed and have not found any reasons for concern over that reporting.”

She added that, “All our journalists, staff or freelance, are expected to adhere to our ethical rules and journalistic standards, and to avoid doing anything that could call into question the impartiality of their work for The Times.”

it does raise questions about where MSNBC draws the line between opinionated journalist and activist.

Oh look the mainstream media is mad at itself, oh my ! This article is an intellectual fraud, it starts with implying that Rush and Andy are credible then moves on to talking points and dog whistles. Even more astounding coming from a mainstream media source that beat the drum for the Tea Party Republicans daily. Move along nothing to see here.

"We have carnival barkers and bus tours, get a free ticket, ride the tri-corner hat to Hatersville, here let me by you lunch !!" I am continually astounded by the hate that pours forth from the politico comment section. These old 1960's "scary commie" statements are disgraceful, you should be embarrassed to have them associated with your publication. They are there every day, on every story (some obviously paid trolls) and many are shilling for media outlets and/or candidates. Any one with any sense of civic responsibility would go see OWS for themselves. Please find an occupy site near you, read the signs, get some information and ask questions (there by giving you a little credibility). As for me, protecting the rights of the first amendment are far more important in the long run than selling news papers or political candidates. Please don't let some paid tool of the multi-billion dollar media conglomerates tell you what is going on, get off of your couch and go look.

I wonder when, if ever, the OWS will realize that the most efficient way to attack the corruption of politicians by Wall Street is to eliminate the politicians allowing themselves to be corrupted, instead of allowing their movement to be co-opted by them.

The authors of bank bailouts supply food and blankets to those protesting bailouts. The creators of subprime mortgages donate to demonstrators decrying foreclosures. OWS demand relief from student loans while they accept support from politicians that have placed every man woman and child in debt to the tune of $44,000 each and steeply rising. The OWS say they want jobs and keep warm with blankets from an administration's supporters that are choking off domestic energy and killing jobs with carbon controls and an unaffordable and unworkable nationalized healthcare plan.

They attack the corruptors on Wall Street and accept food and drink from the corrupted. They are texbook definitions of useful idiots, used by Democrats to deflect from the economic and social bankruptcy of the Democrat Party. Democrats are more than happy to continue with the situation to keep the heat off of their failures. Heaven help them when the OWS stops to think about the causes of their problem and, rather than accepting charity from those responsible for their plight, begins to place blame where it belongs with corrupt politicians. At this point Democrats will crack down on the encampments that are concentrated in Democrat strongholds. Nurturing this movement is a decision that will come back to bite Democrats who have no exit strategy when demonstrators inevitably realize that a fish rots from the head.

"........Conservatives looking to delegitimize the Occupy Wall Street protests have a new tactic - targeting journalists."

I thought this movement wasn't about conservatives and liberals because they act like they're all inclusive. . And actually going after biased journalists isn't a tactic, it's the truth. The liberal media bias has been proven over and over. And look where the liberal media has gotten us. They pushed and shoved a relatively unknown obama on the country and how has that worked out for any of us?

The greatest and most often repeated lie of the extreme right is the myth of a left wing media. The vast majority of media is owned by billionaires and has a clear corporatist/statist agenda. This is hardly "liberal" bias. I can't imagine how far to the right that you would have to be to keep believing and selling this lie. Obviously for many people it is easier to blame it on the commies than to think for them selves or admit that maybe they don't know every thing. In fact it is possible that they might be wrong about some of it. How many things that you are "sure you know" were lies when you first heard them (and are still lies today)? I suggest you consider the possibility that a liberal, at some point in your life was right and that you were not. It is possible that it could have happened maybe once.

"We have carnival barkers and bus tours, get a free ticket, ride the tri-corner hat to Hatersville, here let me by you lunch !!" I am continually astounded by the hate that pours forth from the politico comment section. These old 1960's "scary commie" statements are disgraceful, you should be embarrassed to have them associated with your publication. They are there every day, on every story (some obviously paid trolls) and many are shilling for media outlets and/or candidates. Any one with any sense of civic responsibility would go see OWS for themselves. Please find an occupy site near you, read the signs, get some information and ask questions (there by giving you a little credibility). As for me, protecting the rights of the first amendment are far more important in the long run than selling news papers or political candidates. Please don't let some paid tool of the multi-billion dollar media conglomerates tell you what is going on, get off of your couch and go look.

Conservative attacks on media members for favorably biased protest coverage have little credibility. Yes, there may be some reporters who have embraced the movement wholeheartedly, but the media's initial response, on the whole, was shockingly biased against the protests and protestors. If the protestors had been the reporters' children, the reporters would have been guilty of criminal neglect. When talking heads and others finally bothered to acknowledge the existence of protests and protestors, they were shockingly dismissive and derisive, as though they were official guardians of the status-quo establishment. The media was shamefully unresponsive and later critical of the movement they have yet to understand.

Anyone with two brain cells knows that MSNBC is a corrupt political arm of the DNC and other far -left causes. However, I must admit it is entertaining to hear the far left loons try to prop up the little dictator in chief night after night.

Onedumb, Why do you hate free speech ? That sign does not represent the occupy movement, just the opinion of one person who walked up and made a sign. You could do the exact same thing.Your sign could say any thing that you want (even 'I hate commies') and no one will stop you, that is the point. The idea is to allow all citizens to have their say, please make a sign and join them.

OH PULEEZE! Are we still trying to play this silly game that MSNBC is anything other than a Left Wing Politburo propaganda extension of the "Progressive" (read Socialist) wing of the Democrat party?

Give it a break already. You guys just make yourselves look worse and even more dishonest trying to pretend you don't know what the whole world is keenly aware of. And Politico has a very cozy relationship with MSNBC.

As far as the NYT - even Liberals long ago gave up trying to claim it's not Left Wing biased.

Let's put it another way - why has the media been under attack for DECADES due to Left Wing bias and fronting propaganda and propaganda techniques for the Democrat party?

There is only one reason why. Things don't just happen for no reason. Puleeze.

All of these comments coming from folks that think FOX is fair ad balanced is a joke. FOX helped the tea party and no one said a word! Try as you will your weak efforts to delegitimize the OWS and their complaints is a joke and WILL fail. Next you will march out that phony reporter that got caught lying and making up a phony story about ACORN which you baggers still believe!

A newly-discovered video–filmed by Occupy Wall Street supporters themselves–reveals that New York Times reporter Natasha Lennard is not merely covering the protests, but is also apparently taking part in planning and executing them.

In the video, Lennard is seen participating as a featured speaker in a discussion among anarchists, communists, and other radicals as they examine the theory, strategy and tactics of the Occupy protests.

The discussion was held at the left-wing Bluestockings book store in New York on Friday, Oct. 14, and filmed and promoted by the radical magazine Jacobin. The audience included participants in, and apparent organizers of, the Occupy Wall Street demonstration in lower Manhattan.

Lennard, who has also written for Politico and Salon, is identified in the video by the panel’s moderator as a freelancer for the Times, and also as the Times reporter who was arrested along with seven hundred activists on the Brooklyn Bridge on Oct. 1.

When Lennard reported on her arrest at the time, she appears to have concealed her own apparent role in the Occupy protests, implying that her arrest was an abuse of press freedom. She used her affiliation with the Times to win her early release.

Sympathetic media expressed shock that a reporter had been taken into custody by allegedly overzealous police. Only sources like Newsbusters questioned that narrative at the time. The video suggests that the skeptics were correct in their suspicions.

In the video of the panel discussion, Lennard reveals herself to be a passionate Occupy supporter, and appears to have personal knowledge of its planned future activities, including illegal occupations of banks in New York City.

We have decided to post the entire video of the panel discussion–below, in full, as first posted by Jacobin magazine. We have made no edits; the jump cuts are apparently caused by the videographer.

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Lennard, the woman at far-left (coincidentally), speaks as a “comrade” of the panelists and the audience–one actively part of the far-left intellectual theorizing and organizing behind Occupy, and also as someone with deep knowledge of its plans.